Means for protecting dental work.



v A. R. DE PASS. MEANS FOR PROTECTING DENTAL WORK. APPLIUATIOH FILEDSEPT. 14, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

coLuMulA PLANomzAvn CU..WASNINUTUN n L ADDISON It. DE PASS, or COLUMBIA,SOUTH cAitoLiNA.

MEANS FOR PROTECTING DENTAL WORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Original application filed June 24, 1911, Serial No. 635,233. Dividedand this application filed September To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADDISON R. De Pass, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Columbia, in the county of Richland and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forProtecting Dental Work, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the protection of dental work in themouth of a patient.

It is a well known fact that fillings and other dental work should beprotected from moisture in the mouth of the patient for a certain periodof time after the work is done and various means have been used bydentists for this purpose. The patient has been required to keep hismouth open and cotton has been stuffed around the teeth to protect themfrom saliva, and in addition a rubber sheet or dam is often kept aroundthe tooth. In spite of these precautions.

however, it is not always possible to prevent the access of moisture tothe work.

My present invention is designed to effectively and absolutely protectthe work from moisture, and in addition to this to avoid in a greatmeasure the discomfort to the patient incident to the method and meansheretofore used and to reduce to a minimum the exertion on the part ofthe dentist in protecting the work.

The novel features of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a form or moldadapted to fit over the upper front row of teeth; Fig. 2 shows a similarform adapted to fit over the lower front row of teeth; Fig. 3 is asimilar view of a form adapted to fit over the upper right row ofteeth;Fig. 1 shows a similar but shorter form adapted to fit over a section ofthe upper left row of teeth; Fig. 5 shows a similar form adapted for useon the lower right row of teeth; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional viewshowing the details of construction which may be used in making themold, and in addition showing the device applied to the teeth as inactual use; and Fig. 7 is a cross section of one of the forms made inone piece.

In the companion application, No. 635,233, which I filed on June 24,1911, I have claimed the process for protecting the teeth during work onthem and the present application is a division of that case.

In carrying out my invention, I cover the teeth upon which the work hasbeen done with a mold or casting of plastic material held in a form soshaped as to properly and conveniently fit over the section of the teethin which the work has been done. The form itself does not come incontact with the teeth, but extends along both sides of the teeth up toa point beyond the exposed portions so that the teeth may sink down inthe form and in the plastic material contained in the form until thatplastic material closely fits around the teeth and up to the gums of thepatient. Plaster of Paris is a suitable material for use as the plasticmaterial in which the teeth are embedded, but it will be understood thatany other similar or suitable material may be used. When I make use ofplaster of Paris I preferably place suflicient material in the form tofill it and then spread a thin sheet of elastic rubber over the plasterof Paris and press the form up firmly against the teeth until the teethare embedded in the plaster of Paris with the layer of rubber betweenthe teeth and the plaster of Paris, thus effectively protecting theteeth even from the moisture contained in the plastic material. It will,of course, be understood that the plaster of Paris is moistened and inplastic form when the teeth are embedded, but that it will quickly setforming, a rigid cast around the teeth effectively protecting them andkeeping out moisture. The forms are so shaped that they will properlyfit the various parts of the mouth with as little inconvenience to thepatient as possible. WVhen it is desired to remove the cast from theteeth, the mold may be first withdrawn from the cast and the plaster ofParis may then be broken up and removed in sections. I have found,however, that it is not necessary to remove the mold from the cast butthe plaster of Paris in position in the form may be removed with theform from the teeth since there will be suflicient give to permit thisremoval when pressure is applied to pull the cast away. The plaster ofParis may then be removed from the form and yet will be ready for useagain with new plastic material.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the mold for the upper front row ofteeth has a wall 1 shaped to fit around the outside of the teeth and toextend upwardly beyond the exposed portions and there is also an innerwall 2, fitting around the inside of the row 5 of teeth. There isbetween these two walls a groove or recess which is to be filled withthe plaster of Paris and covered with a thm coating of water-proofmaterial, such as rubber. The mold for the lowerfront row of teeth isformed with the front wall 3 and the rear wall 1, leaving a groove forthe teeth between them and as shown in this figure the upright walls arepreferably undercut along their inner upper edges as shown at 5, so thatthe upper edges make a slightly contracted outlet for the materialcontained in the form, serving to securely and firmly hold it inposition. I preferably make use of this undercut arrangement on each ofthe forms since it not only holds them in position, but makes theplastic material more firmly press against the teeth when they sink intoit up around the roots so as to make a close water-tight joint.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a form of mold embodying the side walls 6 and 7and a rear end wall 8, of such shape that it can be fitted over theentire row of teeth on the upper right hand side. It has on its forwardend on one side an outlet or opening 9 for the passage of the frontteeth. It will be understood that a similar mold with the partsreversed, may be used for the upper left hand row of teeth. In Fig. 1 Ihave shown a shorter form for the upper left hand row of teeth havingthe inner wall 10 and the outer wall 11 so curved and shaped as toproperly fit over a section of the teeth, but in this instance the formis made shorter than that indicated in Fig. 3 so that it will cover onlya portion of the teeth on one side, and it will consequently not be somuch in the way of the patient as will the long form covering the entirerow. In this particular form the ends are open, except that there areupwardly bent or extending portions 12 and 13, serving as ribs or damsto assist in holding the material in the form while the teeth are beingembedded. It will be understood that the form for the upper right sidewill be similarly constructed so as to fit on that side. The form shownin Fig. 5 has an outer side wall 14 and an inner side wall 15 and, likethat shown in Fig. 4, is provided with open ends with the upwardprojections 16, 17 to hold the material in place.

Each of the forms used in carrying out my invention may be made of anysuitable material, such as rubber or metal. lVhen made of rubber orsimilar material, the side walls may have sufficient resiliency topermit the form to be withdrawn from the hardened plaster of Paris,notwithstanding the fact that the form may have its side 65 wallsslightly contracted toward the top.

Instead of making the forms with the resilient sides, however, I maymake them of more rigid material and in that case I prefer to make themin sections, as indicated in Fig. 6, whereby they may be divided torelease the hardened plastic material. It is not necessary, however, tomake the forms in sections so that they may be divided, since I havefound that even where the plaster of Paris is held in a rigid form, itmay be removed from the teeth while in the form, by a pull in the lineof the teeth, so that it is possible to use a form which does not giveso as to be removed from the cast or one which is divided. In theparticular structure shown in Fig. 6, the form is made up of twolongitudinal metal sect-ions 18 and 19, divided longitudinally at thebottom, the two sections overlapping or fitting together and being heldby screws or bolts 20. The bolts may pass through slots in theoverlapping portion so that when screwed tight they will hold the twosections firmly together, forming a proper mold, but when the bolts arereleased the sections 'may be separated and removed from the materialcontained in the form. As shown in Fig. 6, the side walls are inclinedslightly toward each other at the top and have the undercut portions 5,so as to firmly hold the plaster of Paris, wax or other materials 21,and to make that material fit closely around the teeth 22, when they areembedded in it. The thin sheet of rubber 23 is placed across the top ofthe plastic material and when the teeth are embedded in that material,the rubber sheet will be pressed closely around the teeth and up aroundthe gums so as to form a tight fit, effectively keeping out anymoisture. The rubber is not only waterproof, but is elastic and,consequently, will make a perfectly water-tight joint. As shown in thisfigure, 24 represents a filling which is being protected by the plasticmaterial and rubber coating.

I prefer to use plaster of Paris in carrying out my invention, but itwill be understood that other materials may be used and this is truealso of the water-proof lining or coating over the tooth when it isembedded in the plastic material, which is preferably of rubber,although my invention is not limited to the use of that material. My

invention, furthermore, is not confined to the specific details ofconstruction of the forms for holding the plastic material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith a form shaped to fit in the human mouth over a row of teeth andhaving an open top, of a filling of plastic material in said form, and athin layer of flexible water-proof material on the exposed surface ofsaid plastic material.

2. The combination with a form shaped to fit in the human month over arow of teeth and having an open top, of a filling of plastic material insaid form, and a thin layer of flexible water-proof material on theexposed surface of said plastic material, the side walls of said formbeing undercut and so constructed as to hold said material firmlytherein and capable of removal from said material even when hardenedwithout breaking said material.

3. In a device of the class described, a form adapted to contain plasticmaterial having an open top and shaped to fit in the human month over arow of teeth without touching them, the side walls of said formextending up along the sides of the row of teeth, the side walls of saidform being so constructed as to be capable of movement away from eachother to permit removal from the plastic material when hardened.

4. In a device of the class described, a form adapted to contain plasticmaterial having an open top andshaped to fit in the human month over arow of teeth without touching them, the side walls of said formextending up along the sides of the row of teeth, the said form beingdivided longitudinally between said sides, and means being provided fordetachably securing the divided sections together.

5. In a device of the class described, a form adapted to contain plasticmaterial having an open top and shaped to fit in the human month over arow of teeth without touching them, the side walls of said form beingsufficiently high to extend beyond the exposed portions of the teethwhen in position and being undercut along their inner top edges, and thesaid form being divided longitudinally between said side walls and thedivided sections being detachably'held together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADDISON R. DE PASS.

Vitnesses:

A. C. DE PASS, J. E. BELSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

